


Operation Misdirection

by ibelieve_whiteflag_aslansdefender



Series: Operation Empty Chairs and Found Families [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Humor, Basically they all worry, Because she's Pepper, Big Brother Harley Keener, But he still does the right thing, But no hate either:), Cute Morgan, Cute Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Except Pepper, F/M, Gen, Genius Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Harley Keener & Peter Parker Friendship, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Harley Keener is an angel, Harley just has trust issues, Harley tries, Harley tries to do everything, Harley's plan for survival, Hospitals, How Hard Can It Be?, How hard is it to rob a billionaire?, Independent Harley Keener, Irondad, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Needs a Hug, Morgan Stark cries, NO Swearing, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Oblivious Tony Stark, Of blackness and thorns, Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Peter and Harley hit it right off, Peter and Ned are literally Interns, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Harley Keener, Protective Ned Leeds, Protective Peter Parker, Scared Harley, She's still the same, Stubborn Harley, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Is Not Helping, Tony Stark is Good, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Tony Stark is furious, Tony is NOT a pedophile, Trust Issues, Whump, Worried Harley Keener, Worried Tony Stark, because he's like that, but he's really struggling, chessy Star Wars and princess bride quotes, except disregaurd the 'Stark', just not related to Tony or Pepper, no gay - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22470358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibelieve_whiteflag_aslansdefender/pseuds/ibelieve_whiteflag_aslansdefender
Summary: “Oh my- you stole Mr. Stark’s money! ”“Look, you can leave too, okay? I’ll get some for you. And that Ned guy- you have to make sure he gets out too. You don’t need to do this. I know you’ve been desperate- I know I would be too, but you don’t have to be anymore! I’ll split this with you-” Harley stole a breath and glanced down.“Stop pretending you know how I feel!"“-and nothing is gonna save me when I screw this up .”
Relationships: Parental realationship, Sibling realationship
Series: Operation Empty Chairs and Found Families [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616641
Comments: 17
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! So, I decided that I wanted to make this a series. Because inspiration struck when I least expected it. I don't know how good it will be, but I do have it mapped out and I'm excited for it. Fair warning, but my schedual is fairly unreliable and I can't make any garentees about when I'll post. This is a second in a series, so if your interested, I would go back and read the other first.  
> WARNINGS FOR THIS FIC: Death of mother figure, Orphans, also serious injury-please don't read if this triggers you!  
> Also, I wrote this so I could have fun trying to improve my abilities as an author, I make no money, and I don't mean any offense to any culture, sexuality, religion, or race.  
> Thank you so much for reading! If you have any comments on how I can improve or constructive criticism, I would love to hear it!  
> And if no one has told you yet, you really do matter.  
> I hope you have a peaceful day!

~

_**Operation Misdirection:** _

**#1. Pretend to be imbecilic and average ( _seriously!_ )**

**#2. Wear PG 3.0 At All Times**

**#3. Expiration dates are for the weak**

**#4. Don’t You Dare Lose The Farm! ( _Bills first, food is overrated!! #1!_ )**

**#5 Foster Care is not an option**

**#6. Give them no reason to suspect**

**#7. Finish High School**

**#8. Keep Morgan ~~happy~~ safe**

**#9.Get out of Rosey town**

**#10. STAY AWAY FROM THE MECHANIC ( _Seriously! Alchohalic! Bad for three year olds!!_ )**

~

Harley Keener’s father had only been in his life for exactly six years, four hours, and thirteen minutes. He left to go get ‘cake for the kid’. And he just hadn’t come back. Mama and Harley looked everywhere, but Mr. Simone at the store hadn’t seen Mr. Keener since he’d bought scratchers and walked out. 

Harley had been crushed. 

Mama had too. Being abandoned changed her. She started working later, partying harder. Harley gave up on her raising him by the time he was eight. The night of his eleventh birthday, the fifth anniversary of Dad leaving, Mama got pregnant. 

It woke her up a bit and she cleaned up her act for a while. 

Got on the wagon and started smiling more. 

Baby Morgan was born exactly on her due date, healthy and beautiful. And for a moment, Harley had thought everything would be okay. 

He’d been an idiot back then. 

Mama got post-partum depression and he figured out how to raise a baby. So when the truck hit her and ran, nothing changed too much.

Honestly. He was fifteen, not some snot-nosed six year old crybaby missing his daddy. He lived by his Operation of Misdirection and they were doing just fine.

He just had a few more bills that he actually needed a job to pay. But that was fine. He was recourceful enough for this dumb ol’ town. 

And okay, yeah, maybe working said job while homeschooling himself and watching a three year old wasn’t exactly easy. But he already knew life wasn’t easy, so that was fine too. Everything was fine. 

The farm was still in Mama’s name, the bills got paid- at least most of the time. 

No one from Social Services was suspicious. 

And his grades were completely average and not anywhere near high enough to draw attention, _thank you very much._

Morgan was happy and oblivious. 

He even ate like, at least once a day. Most days.

Life was great. 

He had this adulting thing completely down.

“Morgan Saffron Keener!! Get your sticky fingers off of her food!”

Morgan, who sat splayed on the counter in a way she probably shouldn’t be in that pink sundress, looked over her shoulder at him and grinned innocently. Like her hands weren’t still clutched Mrs. Parron’s fries. Harley sighed. He grabbed her by her still-reaching wrists, and dragged her back to his side of the counter. She balked against his grip, her smile twisting into a scowl.

“Sorry, Ma’am- I’ll get you-”

“It’s fine, Harley, it’s so nice for you to help you Mama take care of her while she’s fighting these battles.” She smiled too-sweetly. ‘Fighting these battles’ his ash! Like he hadn't heard her spreading her rumours to the other gossips. If her lips were moving she was lying through her teeth. 

Harley smiled back, deciding she was his new least favorite person.

“I wan id!” Morgan exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears and her lips trembling.

Shame instantly flamed inside him. Of course she wanted it. She was hungry. And dinner last night had been a long time ago for her. He was supposed to be taking care of her!

He grabbed Mrs. Parron’s half eaten plate and put it in front of her. It was better then throwing it out.

“It’s ‘wan _t_ i _t_ ’, Mouse. Your too smart to talk like a country idiot.” Morgan perked up, her tears vanishing suspiciously easily. Harley sighed. But life was about picking your battles so he just went back to work on preparing another Super Burger.

“What’s a idit?” She asked around a faceful of fries. 

“Nunya. It’s a Harley word. Why don’t you tell me a number story, Mouse?” He began washing the lettuce, glancing at his semi-abandoned schoolbooks. He’d done… one problem. And now it looked wrong. _Fudge._

“Keener! You’ve got a line! I ain’t paying you to stand ‘round scaring customers away with your ugly mug!” 

Harley’s head snapped up to see that the Farmhands were on their lunch. 

He sighed and shoved the schoolbooks further back. He’d get to them...sometime... He went back to work on chopping Mrs. Parron’s tomato, trying to safely alternate between watching the knife and smiling at the customer.

“Hello, Mr Langosium, you want the usual?” 

“-An the two saved the three, like Iron Man! Then the three loved him because Iron Man is cool, so’s they got hitched at a real pretty pink weddin’ and they becomes a five-”

Yeah, everything was completely under control.

***

“Bed! Now!” Harley shouted, letting the door slam behind him as he spun on her. Anger writhed in his veins- why couldn’t she just listen?! If she had just done what he’d told her to and stayed out of trouble, none of this would’ve happened! He asked the one thing of her! Being good was all she fudging had to do! He did _everything_ else! He’d needed just one simple thing from her and she couldn’t even do it! How could he take care of her without his job?! 

“Storm it, Morgan, we needed that money!”

“I said sorwy! Say sorwy an’ hug!” Her sobs were nearly indespherable, but they slammed into him like a horseshoe to the stomach. Say sorry and hug. The first rule he’d taught her. 

He blinked, really seeing her for the first time since he’d covered the store in the fire-fighting foam. She stood in front of him, barely as tall as his knee, so little and innocent. _Fear_ and tears glistening in her beautiful brown eyes as she breathed gasps that verged on a panic attack. She flinched at his shout, her tears escaping in rivers down her red cheeks.

“ _Sorwy…. sorwy….”_

Guilt seared through him.

Oh, Storms, what had he done? She was just a kid! She was a fudging three year old!

_Get a grip, Keener! It wasn't her fault!_

“Oh, Baby…” he dropped to knees, holding out his arms. She stood still for a moment, blinking at the invitation with wary eyes that stabbed his heart. 

He was all she had left and he wasn’t enough.

He kept expecting more than she could give.

Blaming her when it was his fault.

Why did he keep screwing everything up?!

“I’m sorry, Mouse-” That made her desicion. 

She whimpered and flung herself into his arms, knocking his breath away. She buried her face into his shoulders, her little body shaking as she tried to muffle her tears. He rubbed circles on her back, hating his worthless hide for making her cry. 

“I’m so sorry, Princess. It wasn’t your fault, I shouldn’t have yelled…” he murmed his useless apologies, fighting against the bubbling panic welling inside him and forcing his voice to be light and soft as she wept. 

It was nearly ten minutes before she stopped crying. And even then, her sniffles and the thudding of his thready pulse thrumming in his ears were the only sounds for several minutes afterwords.

_Keep it together, Keener.. Don’t you dare upset her again. Keep it together…_

Finally, mericfully, her breathing slowed and body went limp against him. He stood, cursing his cramping legs and carrying her back to their bedroom.

He laid her on her too-small pink princess toddler bed, and debated whether it was worth it changing her into her pajamas. Her clothes and skin were stained with dirt and foam and various random stains he preffered not to invesigate. He knew it probably wasn’t healthy to keep her in the chemically stained sundress. It’d probably be safer to throw it away entirely, and give her a good scrubbing in the tub, while he was at it. But it was her best dress and his heart still pounded in his ears and his pulse was too quick and the overwhelming weight of _what in blue blazes am I going to do now_ pressed against his heart and- Ultimately the need to be away from innocent ears before his impending panic attack won out and he crept back out the open door.

Just another way he failed her. 

He couldn’t seem to stop doing that.

He stumbled down the hall into the kitchen, flicked the lightswitch and sighed when nothing changed. Great. At least he knew which bill he’d forgotten. _I have to pay that. Too late and they’ll take the house back._ Dread knotted in his stomach so tightly he felt sick.

They couldn’t take the house. It was the last line of defence!

They’d know.

And then they’d split them up.

And he’d age out and he’d be fine- but Morgan would grow up bouncing from house to house with no time to settle and no one to love her.

No one to tell her stories too or to make her giggle so hard she couldn’t breath.

No one who cared about how brilliant she was.

Or what happened to her.

She’d grow up was nothing more then a burden to be endured for a paycheck...And that was if she was lucky! What if she wasn’t? What if she ended up at the mercy of abusive people? People who hurt her- 

Harley doubled over, gagging harshly with nothing to bring up as the terrible image branded into his brain. 

Morgan’s bright, sparkling chocolate eyes filling with fear. Dark bruises mottling her beautiful, perfect skin. Tears dripping into a pool of red beneath her crumpled- _No!_

He wrenched himself upright, shoving down the rising bile by sheer desperate will. _Keep it together, Keener!_

He couldn’t breath. Was the world titling? He was slipping away, crashing to the floor in the dark void and desperately grasping for anything to hold him together.

His hands slammed into cold tile. He shut his eyes and tried to inhale just one single, connected breath. It felt more like a dying wheeze.

He didn’t have time for this! He stifled the panic and pain deep inside, locking it away in the box he always put it. He didn’t have the luxury of losing control. Morgan needed him. 

The thought that was supposed to pull him free sent him spiralling further.

Morgan needed him.

Morgan needed him and he didn’t know what to do.

Mr. Fry had been the only one who hadn’t asked questions he couldn’t answer and hired him and now he wasn’t allowed within twenty feet of the place.

Without a job he didn’t have money.

He couldn’t pay the bills. 

He couldn’t give her a new bed.

Or shoes without holes.

Or _food._

They’d take the house. 

And then they’d take her.

And he didn’t know what to do!

What could he do?! 

He didn't have anything in the plan for help-

Harley’s eyes buldged. Time froze. 

He was wrong.

The Mechanic was on the plan.

_No! He’s on the plan so you can avoid him!_

It was insane! He was unstable- when Harley had met him he hadn’t even been functioning! He drank too much and had too many weapons in his maniac hands- _Don't be stupid! He's not a hero like they think. He's scum just like the rest of them!_

But he was filthy rich scum.

“No, don’t be stupid, Keener. He’s on the list, get a grip…” But he knew he already had it.

His breathing was slowing and his panic had stopped threatened to drown him- dulling to the managable ever-present tightness in his chest.

Because this _could_ work. He was smart. If he could just get to New York… he could totally hack the old man’s systems-he could save Morgana!

He just had to steal from the richest jerk of the century. 

Piece of cake.


	2. Connected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, no- wait, Peter- oh, hi Mr. Stark! It’s actually Ned, not- no, nevermind, Sir. Ted’s totally fine. I’ve been thinking of changing it anyway- you had Jarvis programmed to alert you when he came to the tower?!”

“-But the seven was _bad,_ Harley!” He hummed in the appropriate shock and tightened hand holding hers as they crossed the lawless tumultuous road. 

He’d stopped actually listening to her story about the same time he’d spent their last seventeen dollars on the bus fair two days ago to get them here. He just made the required intrigued grunts and tried to ignore the terrifying fact that they were officially penny-less. This had to work. Because if it didn’t… no! That was not an option. It would work. He’d make it work.

“-So’s he tooked the Five to a city far ‘way-and locked them in a reawy tall tower-” 

Of course she liked the city. 

What was there not to like? Bilboards with electric colors blinding him from every side Hundreds of buildings that had no right to smother the sky like they did. The sickening smell of hot dogs and fried food, and dirty air-seriously! They’d ruined _air._ And all the people! He’d seen more people in the last five minutes than he’d seen in his entire life. Yelling and cursing and driving like they wanted to kill each other! Pressing in on them like a wild herd of spooked horses ready to trample anything in sight. The sheer insanity of them sent panic twisted his heart in it’s cold clutches- leaving it mangled, drumming too-loudly in his head.

How could people live like this?!

“… Like super tall- like that!” The shock in her voice pulled him from his thoughts, and his eyes snapped down to her. Had something scared her?

“It’s Oka-” But her eyes weren’t filled with fear like he’d thought, but blown huge with wonder. He turned ahead to see what she was looki- it was tallest fudging building he’d ever seen! A monster of stainless steel and tinted windows that loomed against the ugly gray sky. The letters STARK grinned smugly at the top, seemingly aware they belonged to the most pretentious building in the whole stupid city.

This was it. Mechanic’s building. 

_I actually did it. We’re actually here._

“It’s hug-norman!” She gasped.

“Hunormous, Princess.” He mumbled distractedly, his mind slipping somewhere far away as the reality of what he was actually doing slammed into him.

This was the most desperate, half-baked, dumbest thing he’d ever done in his whole life. _He just had to steal from the richest jerk of the century!_ What had he been thinking?! Why hadn’t he gone after a reasonable target like a bank or some millionaire who _hadn’t_ made his fortune by being the smartest person in the world! 

Who did he think he was fooling? He wasn’t some super hacker! Or some genius tech prodigy!

He wasn’t even the kid who helped fix an Iron Man suit anymore. 

He was just the idiot who’d peaked after turning a Potato Gun into an actual gun and failed every class ever since. The idiot who’d thrown every last dime they had into a hairbrained scheme he wasn’t smart enough to pull off- 

And when he failed he’d be the idiot who lost everything. The idiot who sat alone in a cell while they dragged the best thing in the world away from him. _All because he wasn’t enough._

He could feel himself spiralling out of control again. His heart was squeezing and the world was spinning and he was drifting away. Leaving. Would he be able to come back? Or would he just be gone, like Dad?

“What does it say at the top?” She tugged on his arm. Trying to draw him back to her. 

“Spell it out.” He gritted out.

_She’s here. Holding your hand. Still yours. It’s not too late. C’mon Keener- keep it together! You don’t get to go away like they did. She needs you._ That thought was the lifeline he needed. He latched onto it, onto her hand, holding it tightly as he clawed his way back to her. Morgan needed him. 

“St-sta- ahnk? St- ah-nk… stank!” Suddenly he was back. She was tugging on his arm and laughing and talking and _right here._

“Id’ says stank!” 

Harley smiled as he registered what she was saying.

For a moment the world felt a tiny bit brighter. 

He hadn’t lost her yet.

“Yep. That’s exactly what it says. Stank Industries. And guess what, Mouse? This is our stop. We’re goin’ in.” 

And he was going to do anything he had too to make sure he never did.

He would not fail her!

“Yay!” She cheered, pulling against him to the monstrous building. “We’re goin’ ta safe the Five! They’s locked up way- _way up_ at the top-”

Harley stole a deep breath that was nowhere near bracing enough, then they stepped through the automatic doors.

A cold artificial breeze washed over them, and the doors shut behind them, suddenly muting the cacophony outside. Harley gasped as the panic gripping his heart loosened at the peaceful quiet. He could actually think!

That turned out to be the only exceptional thing about the room. He looked around as he took it in, thinking idily that Morgan’s delighted gasp was an overreaction. It was just a lobby. Granted, a really large rectangular one lined with elevators on all sides with important-looking people in suits darting around in every direction. But still just a lobby. Not any nicer than the ones he’d seen on the diner’s TV.

It didn’t even have a computer anywhere! How could he hack the Mechanic without a computer? Of all the problems he’d thought of, he’d never imagined _this!_ How could the building that housed the latest technology in the world not have a- there! 

Across the floor, in almost the center of the room, was a stainless steel desk with the shiniest, thinnest computer he’d ever seen. 

“Bingo.” He said, starting toward it, adrenalin beginning to thrum in his veins.

“Was his name-o...” She sang beside him, distracted from her story. 

“Sure thing, Brown Eyes…”

Maybe he really could do this. This computer would already be linked to the Company files. He just had to get over there and relocate a little bit of the money into Mama’s account. There wasn’t even anyone manning the- a hawaian kid popped into view, making Harley’s heart squeeze and skip a beat in shock as he launched his fisted pen triumphantly into the air. 

“Yes!” Harley blinked at him, not even knowing what he was supposed to think.

He didn’t have a problem with the dude’s kind-looking face or fairly round figure. Harley wasn’t one to judge. But what really had Harley tripping, was the fact that he looked about Harley’s age. Which made no sense when he considered the Iron-Man patterned baby carriers strapped to both his front _and_ his back. Not empty carriers for some weird fashion statement, but each carrier was filled with a baby wearing matching tufts of strawberry blonde hair. The one resting on his chest was sound asleep against him. The one on his back was gumming what appeared to be an SI lanyard, and that realization dragged Harley back to the situation at hand.

This kid had a badge and he stood behind the desk. So it was probably his desk. And he probably wouldn’t be willing to let Harley use his computer to steal from his boss.

“Look! Babies!” Morgan squealed with delight.

“Yep. He’s got kids. Why does he have kids?” It wasn’t a question that actually mattered. But his brain was too busy trying to come up with a reasonable excuse for why this random kid should let him use the computer to care.

Morgan frowned up at him, tilting her head.

“You’s got me.” 

Harley shook his head, trying to clear it. _Focus, Keener!_

“I know, Mouse. But that doesn’t happen often. And he brought them to work.” What could he say? _S’cuse me, d’ya mind lettin’ me touch your very expensive computer and risk the job you clearly need to take care of your kids for no good reason?_ Yeah, he could see that going just great.

“You bought me ta work.” 

“B _rr_ -ought, Princess. There’s an ‘r’. And most people don’t if they can avoid it.” Which meant this kid probably couldn’t. Why would the Mechanic even hire somebody who had to bring his kids to work? It was a liability. A kindness to the kid that didn’t mesh with the cold facts. The Mechanic was a jerk who never cared for anyone other than himself, much less some kid who’d knocked up the wrong- 

Wait- could he use the kid thing to his advantage? A favor between two guys trying to do the best thing for their kids? Maybe he could spin this after all…

They stopped just in front of the desk, but the dude didn’t notice. He was too busy playing tug of war with the baby over the lanyard. 

“No- no. C’mon... you gotta let go. It’s mine…” He coaxed as he gently wiggled at it, seemingly worried about hurting the baby’s single white nub of a tooth.

Harley cleared his throat awkwardly but the stranger didn’t seem to notice.

“Ellison Mary-May Parker- I am middle naming you right now! _Do you hear me?_ What have I ever done to you to deserve this ultimate betrayal-?”

“She’s got two mid’ names?” Morgan gasped, her eyes wide at the unprecedented occurrence in her young life. The strange round dad started, dropping his hold on the plastic and spinning around, his eyes landing on her and a smile splitting across his face.

“Oh-! Hi, little miss! I didn’t see you there. And you bet she does! Mary and May. Why? Do _you_ have a middle name?” He asked it incredulously, his eyes wide with just the right amount of disbelief. And before Harley could stop it- gratitude swelled in his heart, loosening some of the stress that constantly crushed it. Fudge. He liked this dude. He knew he shouldn’t! Liking people was giving them rope and being surprised when they left you bound and gagged.

But he couldn’t stop himself.

When was the last time someone other than him had played with her? Ever?

“Staff-won!” Morgan nodded seriously so he’d understand the significance of the name. 

“Saffron, darlin’. ‘S got another ‘r’.” Harley corrected and she smiled her gap-tooth grin.

“Yeah, tha’s what I said.”

The guy reeled back, gasping in shock.

“ _Saffron?_ Wow! That’s a Princess’s name! It’s so cool! Can I have it?”

Morgan giggled. 

“No silly! Id’s _mine_.” She shied back behind Harley’s leg a little, unused to receiving attention from strangers.

The guy sighed dramatically, shaking his head sadly.

“That’s alright, M’lady. Maybe I can steal your bodyguard’s name.” He looked up at Harley and reached out a hand, still smiling.

“Hello, my name’s Ned, Stark Industries Intern. What can I help you with?” Harley shook Ned’s hand- surprised at the strong grip from such a round city boy.

“Hi, I’m Harley. Listen, I was wondering-”

But Morgan interrupted him, curiosity still sparking in her eyes as she peered around Harley’s leg.

“Are the babies your sisters? Do you watch them because your Mama died too?” Panic shot through his veins so hard and fast that the world went blurry for a second. He could feel the wildness in his eyes as they snapped up to meet Ned’s, some imbecilic excuse forming on his lips, but he saw no condemnation in the other boy’s eyes. Only sympathetic compassion. Then he looked down at Morgan shaking his head.

“No, they’re not my sisters. They’re my best friend’s brother and sister, but you were right on the other part,” Harley heart stilled, froze as Ned looked up at him, with a knowing sadness tinged to his smile. Maybe someone else actually understood-

“I do help watch them because their Mama’s gone. It’s just them, their brother and their dad. Like it’s just you, your brother, and your dad.” 

The tiny flicker of hope that had blossomed through him died. 

Their dad hadn’t been a complete dippin' dot and dumped them.

For two seconds he’d let himself believe that maybe he wasn’t alone. 

But he was.

He’d always be alone.

A ringtone interrupted his thoughts, blaring out a tinny voice saying: ‘I Have A Bad Feeling About This- Never Tell Me The Odds!’ again and again. Ned frowned, glancing down at the phone on the desk with some strange green baby _alien?_ thing on the case. 

“Sorry,” he grimaced apologetically. “That’s Peter, he’s with the boss.” He answered, pressing it to his ear. Ellison released the lanyard, reaching for the phone instead, but Ned absently handed her his pen instead.

“...no, Elli, hold this… Dude, don’t let him out! Mrs. Potts said he’s not allowed to leave the meeting for another hour, minimum-” He listened for a second, then frowned.

“Why’s he coming here?”

The Mechanic was coming _here_ ? No! He couldn’t! Rule number ten! He had to keep Morgan away from him! He was trying to _rob him_! He couldn’t come here!

_We have to get out of here!_ He pulled Morgan into his arm, ignoring her startled squeaks and pressing her head against his chest as he took a step back. He had to get out. He had to protect her. If they left now they might make it- Ned’s eyes clouded with confusion before before widening and snapping up to meet Harley’s. Harley froze. Fudge! They couldn’t leave now. It’d be suspicious. _Keep it together, Keener. Keep it together! You aren’t a little kid anymore. He probably wouldn’t even recognise you if you were-_

“He’s coming to see a kid?” 

Any control he’d tried to gather crumbled as fear tore through him. 

_He knows._

“Yeah, no- wait, Peter- oh, hi Mr. Stark! It’s actually Ned, not- no, nevermind, Sir. Ted’s totally fine. I’ve been thinking of changing it anyway- y _ou had Jarvis programmed to alert you when he came to the tower?!”_

_No no no- he knows!_ He crushed Morgan against him so tightly she protested, but it didn’t matter because _he knew_ and he was coming to take her away and this was the last time he’d ever get to hold her-

“-No, Jarvis’s systems are fine, he’s here.” He lowered the phone a bit a said. 

“You said your name’s Harley, right?” Then, without waiting for a response, he lifted the phone to his ear again. “Yeah, it’s him, he’s right here- oh, okay, bye-” A golden elevator behind the desk pulled open and Tony Stark strode out, tossing a flip phone carelessly back to a startled teenager behind him.

His shaded eyes locked on Harley. Piercing through every lie he’d ever told until he saw the scared little kid Harley had buried all those years ago. Then he smirked.

“I knew you’d come here one day, Kid. We’re connected.”


	3. Breakfast With The Intern

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Fam! I would like to make sure all of you know, that the things Harley thinks of Mr. Stark in this chap are not true. Harley’s just confused and scared.

~

“C’n we ‘tay here yesterday?” Morgan’s sleepy voice broke through the quiet of the night. The roaring in his head. He’d thought she was asleep. Hadn’t she put herself to bed? 

“It’s ‘Ssst-ay’ darlin’. And you mean tomorrow. Yesterday already happened.” Harley words were an autopilot, an instinct he thankfully still had, because his head was too far away to even register he was speaking.

Because he was still slumped against the guest bedroom’s door.

The Guest Bedroom’s Door.

The  _ Mechanic’s _ Guest Bedroom Door.

“We are totally. Completely. Fudged.”

  
  
  


A golden elevator behind the desk pulled open and Tony Stark strode out, tossing a flip phone carelessly back to a startled teenager behind him.

His shaded eyes locked on Harley. Piercing through every lie he’d ever told until he saw the scared little kid Harley had buried all those years ago. Then he smirked.

“I knew you’d come here one day, Kid. We’re connected.” 

Harley couldn’t think. He was an abandoned piece of tech glitching zeros and ones. Waiting around uselessly for someone to reboot him. But no one would come. Because the Mechanic was the one crossing his wires.  _ Stay away from the Mechanic. Stay away from the Mechanic. He’s just like the rest. Bad news. Don’t let him near her.  _ But he was right here. And there was no where for Harley to go. And no money to get there! This was his last shot. And he’d ruined it. 

He’d failed.

Morgan wriggled in his arms. She wanted down. But he couldn’t let her go. Because the Mechanic would call the cops and they take her away and if he let her go he’d never get to hold her again-

“Mr. Stark, that’s great and all, but Mrs. Potts said that you were to ‘under no circumstances-’” Ned stammered as the kid  _ -Peter?-  _ clumsily fumbled after the phone. The Mechanic rolled his eyes.

“If you like your job, I suggest you don’t finish that sentence. I found you in a coffee shop and I can send you back to a coffee shop.” 

Ned’s ears flushed red and he was suddenly very busy retrieving his pen from Elli’s tight fist. The Mechanic turned to Harley with a long suffering  _ you see what I have to deal with over here? _ grimace on his face.

“Interns.” He shrugged as if that explained everything. “Can’t get ‘em to do anything-”

“-Can’t last a day without ‘em.” Peter added as he came to the Mechanic’s side, straightening his nerdy ‘Stand Back, I’m Sciencing’ T-shirt and waving to Harley with a quick smile. Harley waved back, numb.  _ You failed her. _

The Mechanic’s face furrowed in scandalized shock.

“You too, you rugrat, another word out of you and it’s back to being a barista-” Peter rolled his eyes and they landed on Morgan. His face split into a grin.

“Whoa! Princess- what’re you doing out of the castle?” He asked earnestly. 

Morgan stopped struggling and began to burrow back into Harley’s chest, her giggle’s muffled by his shirt. 

“We’s here ta see Tony Stank!” A genuine laugh erupted from Peter.

“Well, you're in luck- that’s him right there! Mr. Tony Stank. Isn’t that right, Sir-” Peter twisted around, grinning mischievously. But when he saw his boss’s withering stare, he suddenly became very interested in helping Ned unhook Elli from her confines.

The Mechanic, having succeeded to bully his intern, turned his deadly gaze on Harley.

“Seriously, Keener?”

“What? Truth hurts?”  _ Stop talking! Maybe if you don’t antagonize him, he’ll let you say goodbye!  _

Goodbye. 

His stomach clenched and his heart lanced apart. He was gonna throw up. 

The Mechanic rolled his eyes. Of course he did. Why would he start caring now?

“Laugh it up. Keep this shi-” Peter, now with an armload of baby, spun to him, glaring pointedly while Ned rushed to cover the sleeping one’s ears. The Mechanic amended his sentence without a second of hesitation. “-shifty punk nonsense up and I won’t let you stay in my penthouse.”

That broke through Harley’s ones and zeros. 

He frowned. 

“Penthouse?”  _ I won’t let you stay in my penthouse.  _ Meaning that he’d originally been planning on letting him stay? Why- how- when-? His head pounded with jumbled thoughts he couldn’t keep up with- he didn’t understand- why did the Mechanic think they were staying in his penthouse?!

“What, they don’t have those in cow town? It’s a giant mettle sacrifice to Odin, where everyone inside worships his favorite mortal-”

“Mrs. Potts.” Peter cut in, grinning like the whole world hadn’t just stopped spinning.

“We’re staying here?” Harley breathed. The Mechanic rounded on Peter and the baby who was currently gumming one of his fingers.

“Keep it up, kid. Keep stepping on Ironman’s toes, I dare you. Feed that thing before she takes your whole hand and then if you want to be around to continue to insult me, I suggest you go get me some coffee.” Then he turned back to Harley, arching an eyebrow at him.

“Uh yeah, where’d you think you were staying, Genius? Thought I’d just toss you into the street?” 

“Um…” He needed to say something. Play it off, play it cool. But why was he talking about them staying here like it was- like it was an  _ actually happening _ thing? Like he wasn’t going to rip Morgan from Harley’s arms and ruin her life forever?

The Mechanic shook his head, looking incredulous. But that didn’t make sense.

“Honestly kid, didn’t your mama tell you anything before she shipped you and little Miss over here? The little Miss who was not part of the plan, by the way.” He looked at Morgan, smiling slightly and wiggling his fingers at her in something that might be considered a wave. 

Harley couldn’t breath.

Mama? The Mechanic had been talking with Mama? A terrible hope warmed in his heart but he ground his teeth and killed it.

_ It’s not possible, Keener, get a grip! She’s dead. She got smashed by a car. She’s dead. _

“-though honestly I don’t know why I expected any different. I’m sure your mama’s a great woman and all Harley, but she’s not so great on the communication thing, is she?” Harley’s head was spinning. This didn’t make sense. Mama was dead. What was the Mechanic trying to pull? Was he trying to rub Harley’s face in his failure?

“I mean, I’ve been emailing her about the internship for the past, what? Three, four years? I got like, two responses telling me to fu-” he glanced at Morgan and continued on without missing a beat. “-uge off, and then, some three-something years of radio silence, and she just sends you and her majesty here without a word. Which by the way, is a really sly way to take advantage of my generosity- ”

“Internship?” Harley said numbly as his brain finally started to register. Emails. He’d never checked her emails. He’d never thought too. Who even used email anymore? The Mechanic had been emailing Mama about an internship? Like, an internship for Harley?  _ He didn’t just abandon me?  _ Harley tried to suffocate the thought as soon as he registered it. It was ridiculous. It didn’t make sense. He was the Mechanic. He’d made his billions from selling weapons to whoever would pay the most, not caring about who they hurt. He used people to get whatever he wanted and then he left. 

But he was rambling on about better opportunities and guest bedrooms and Harley’s head was threatening to tear about when a new thought struck him upside the head.

The Mechanic  _ didn’t _ want to take Morgan from him? 

“-’course she’s welcome to stay, I mean, I’ve got the room. What’s another intern with a chickadee hanging off ‘em? Of course someone’ll have to watch her when you go to school. Speaking of, I think I could get you into Midtown with these bozos, if you want? Summer break ends in a couple of weeks and if you're anything like I remember you’re smart enough to handle without any trouble- Keener? Am I just talking to myself now? The ‘sleeping on the street thing’ is still on the table y’know… okay, Kid are you gonna do that creepy staring thing all day? ‘Cause I gotta tell you it’s starting to freak me out-”

He didn’t want to take Morgan.

He didn’t even  _ know _ Harley had come to steal from him.

He thought he was here for an  _ internship _ . 

An internship he’d apparently been offering for years.

_ I didn’t fail.  _

Warmth rushed through him- so bright and hot that the world spun- he wasn’t loosing her!

Oh, dear God above- could he still pull this off?!

“Yep. Officially freaked out now. Hellooo? Keener? Anybody home?”

“What? Your ego can’t take someone having better things to do then listen to you gab all day?” Harley said, his ears ringing.  _ She’s safe. _

The Mechanic had laughed and taken them on a tour of the building and started rambling about babysitters while Harley was at school, and the doors this Internship would open at colleges  _ and planning a future for them!  _

Like this was permanent.

And the tiny, stupid part of him that was still an abandoned six year old kid crying for his daddy to come back, really wanted to believe him.

So now he was slumped against the door, unable to move like the useless lump he was as his baby sister put herself to bed. 

Trying to figure out how he could still pull this off.

Because this wasn’t permanent. 

None of this changed anything. 

He couldn’t trust anyone. 

Especially the Mechanic!

His mission was still to get the money and get Morgan out safe.

... _ Right? _

***

Harley woke up from an insane dream about the Mechanic to a crick in his neck and a three year old slapping him across the face. His eyes shot open as he lurched forward, snatching her wrists before she could go for round two,

“Hey, easy, Brown Eyes! No hitting- we don’t hit!” She grinned at him through the most adorable bed head he’d ever seen and he found himself grinning back.

“Th’ voice is talkin’ to yous!” She said as if that explained it all. Harley frowned as her words registered, when the memories came flooding back. He gasped, tightening his hold on the imp in his lap, gaping at the unfamiliar room around him. The guest room. The Mechanic’s guest room.

It hadn’t been a dream.

_ “Good Morning, Mr. Trouble, I apologize for the name, Sir won’t reset my code. He thinks it’s funny.“ _ A soft British voice cut through Harley’s thoughts and he bolted upright again, his eyes roving the room for the voice. But no one was there.

_ “My scanners show you are distressed, don’t be alarmed. My name is Jarvis. I am Sir’s AI. I don’t know if you remember, but I met you back when Sir broke into your shed four and a half years ago.” _

Jarvis. The voice in the broken suit. Harley loosened his grip on Morgan and tried to calm his too-fast heartbeat.

“‘S fine, man. You just caught me off guard. I remember you.”

_ “I’m sorry to wake you. Mr. Stark said to inform you that ‘this isn’t some cheap  _ _ beep _ _ hotel, you two can each have your own  _ **_beep_ ** _ room.’ I took the liberty of removing the profanity in favor of preserving young Little Miss’s innocence, would you like me to relay the message uncensored?” _

It hadn’t been a dream.

“Nah, thanks for censoring.” He said automatically as Morgan pulled out of his grasp, going to clumsily arrange the quilts on the bed like he’d taught her too.

_ “My pleasure, Mr.Trouble. Mr. Stark also asked me to inform you that breakfast is ready and to ‘get your lazy  _ _ beep  _ _ out of bed before it’s all gone.’ His words, Sir, not mine.” _

Breakfast? Harley had come to rob him and he’d let them stay in his penthouse and made them breakfast? 

Maybe it was because he was still half asleep, but Harley couldn’t come up with any reasonable excuses, so he swung his giggling sister onto his back and set off for breakfast with the Mechanic.

After only a few wrong turns and ‘ _ it’s actually this way, Sir’ _ s Harley walked out of the labyrinth of a hallway and was assaulted by a white light. He blinked until his eyes adjusted to the sunlight from the huge-ash windows and then he frowned at the scene before him.

The Mechanic stood at a stove-top at the marble island-since when where stoves in islands a thing?- wearing a pink Kiss The Cook apron, smirking at-

“Peter?” Harley asked dumbly. But honestly. This whole thing just kept getting weirder.

Peter spun to him, his hair rumpled crazily, wearing athletic shorts and a smart ash walmart shirt, and looking about two seconds from falling asleep on the spot.. He yawned as if wanting to proove Harley’s assessment true. Not that it made sense. What was he doing here so early? Had he slept here too? Wasn’t he an intern? How much weirder could this day get?!

“Hey man, it’s Harley, right?”

“Uh… yeah.Your Peter?” Peter nodded and smiled kindly at him. 

“Nice to meet you man.” He handed a clean plate to the Mechanic.

“Mr. Stark, do you mind if I shower before we hit the lab? I’m still sweaty from last night. ”

“Gross, kid. But sure, steal something clean from my dresser again. What’s mine is yours and all that jazz.” Peter smiled again, because apparently the dude did that  _ a lot.  _ The Mechanic refocused his attention on Harley and Morgan again.

“It’s about time, you two! C’mon Little Miss, I’ve got some breakfast for you.” Morgan squealed and kicked Harley’s spine hard enough to bruise as she slid down his back. 

“Er… thanks.” Harley started awkwardly as the Mechanic passed him a heavily laden plate, he trailed off, gaping at the food. It was more food than he ate in an entire week!

A flash of guilt tore through Harley’s veins. 

How could he steal from him now? After everything he’d done for them? How could he stay in his spare room and eat his food and still plan to rob him blind? 

That thought turned his stomach sour.

He didn’t want to be that kind of person.

“What’s the matter, kid? Don’t like omelets?”

_ Keep it together, Keener! Don’t you dare make him suspicious now! And he was nice last time too, remember? Remember how that turned out?  _ That thought pulled him back and his resolve hardened. 

He shoved the guilt away.

He’d trusted the Mechanic before too and he wouldn’t make that mistake again. The plan was still the same. He had to get the money and give Morgan a better life.

“Nah, I like anything.” He said easily.

He took his first bite and barely restrained his gasp as he tasted it. He knew it wasn’t the best food he’d ever had, but it was the first in three days and for the life of him he couldn’t remember anything better. Beside him Morgan was hacking her omelette into hearts and rearranging them on her plate. She smiled at it before glancing up at the Mechanic and frowning.

“Babies?” She asked, almost pouting.

Harley tried to frown reprovingly through his bursting mouth.

“Mo’-“ He managed but the Mechanic waved him off.

“Ned took the babies back to their house so they could go to sleep.” Harley frowned and before he could tell himself to  _ shut up! _ he was opening his big mouth.

“Why didn’t Peter just take the babies back?” 

The Mechanic shrugged, thankfully not seeming to suspicious of the question.

“‘Cause the kid needs to blow off some steam from the full-time adulting. It’s been a full time job since his Aunt died. So sometimes he just crashes here and twiddles around with me in my workshop. Y’know, intern stuff.” He turned his attention back to flipping more unnecessary eggs Harley was caught up in his sympathy that such a nice guy had so much burden shoved on his shoulders, so the horrible realization took several moments to sink in. But when it did, his whole world stopped. Because it all suddenly made terrible sense.

Peter spent the night at his  _ boss’s  _ house.

The boss who was a known playboy. Who never took no for an answer. 

The boss who’d generously hired him even though his situation was a liability- putting the desperate kid in his  _ debt. _

He’d been wearing that stupid science shirt yesterday. Now he was wearing a shirt with some dumb rabbit/duck. 

The Mechanic had  _ admitted it himself- _ !

_ The kid needs to blow off some steam- he twiddles around with me in my workshop.  _

Harley was going to be sick.

_ Y’know, intern stuff. _

The Mechanic had been pressing Mama to let Harley intern for him for years.

Had this been his plan all along?  _ Save  _ the poor futureless country kid and then let him  _ pay it back?! _

If he’d actually taken the internship way back then would he be like Peter now?  _ Smiling _ and  _ joking  _ and completely unaware of his boss’s  _ twisted sickness _ -

“Harley- Harley! Look, I makes hearts!” Morgan giggled and his whole world shattered apart.

He lurched forward and gagged everything back onto the plate.

He heaved again and again as his heart bled. Somewhere, far away, he heard her shriek. He heard the Mechanic shout. And he didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew.

He was hurting her. Taking everything she had like he’d taken everything from Peter-

And it was all Harley’s fault. 

  
  
  



	4. The Unwilling Accomplice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d spilled the secret he should have taken to his grave. 
> 
> He’d failed.
> 
> He’d been so close. He’d done it! And now he’d lost everything.
> 
> He fell. Crashed to his knees. He couldn’t bear the weight anymore. 
> 
> “-and nothing is gonna save me when I screw this up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to clarify: Tony is not guilty of anything Harley thinks he is, nor do I condone such actions in real life. I think I told it in a very non triggering way, but if the subject of pediophile’s is in any way triggering, please don’t read! Stay safe because you really matter❤️

***

Morgan should have been the first thing Harley recognised when he first woke up. But, like the selfish jerk he was, she was the third thing.

The first was that his mouth tasted like puke.. 

The second thing was a spike of anxiety because  _why does my mouth taste like puke?!_

It was only after this thought occured that Morgan’s voice drifted into his recognition. 

“-but he was  rweally brave, so’s he standed up to the evil six and said it again: ‘My name is ‘leven One-hunred, you killed my father. Prepare to die.’-” 

The flare of anxiety ebbed a little at the sound of her cheerful babbling. She was okay. It didn’t matter what happened to him. She was all that mattered.

“Mo…?” He trailed off, unsure what to even ask.

“Harley! You’s awake!” She squealed and Harley’s eyes flew open as a thirty pound toddler crashed onto his stomach.

“Softly- Morgan!” A voice exclaimed and Harley stiffened, his eyes snapping over to the voice.

Then he frowned. It was a kid. Sitting in a hard plastic chair, with crazy curls and a dumb shirt with some duck/rabbit thing on it and  Harley knew him.  But he had no idea how. 

“It’s okay Harley, your okay.” The kid was talking to him, smiling, with tangible relief in his eyes. But that didn’t make sense. What was he relieved about?

“I know your  probably freaking out, but everything’s fine.” 

Should he be freaking out? He couldn’t remember.  Thinking felt like walking through a muddy marsh barefoot with a vague idea that he didn’t want to get his feet dirty .

“You sleeped for a long time- and you threw up!” 

“ I.... what? ” Threw up? _Why did I- wait, how long was I out? How long did I leave her alone? Did she see? Did it scare her-_ the stranger’s voice cut over the explosion of adrenalin pounding in his ears. He latched onto it, desperate for something to stop him from going under.

“-But everything’s fine! You were just suddenly sick, and your breathing was weird, Jarvis-” 

Jarvis. The word clicked in his brain. Jarvis was the Mechanic’s AI. He was with the Mechanic?

“-the throwing-up bit might have  been triggered by the breathing, he said it looked like an attack of some sort. Allergy or anxiety.”

Anxiety? Had he had another attack? Why? Had Morgan seen-?! 

“-we couldn’t calm you down and you couldn’t breath so we ended up sedating you- which is like, the one thing you are definitely  not supposed to do, but we were panicking ! But don’t worry about anything, ‘cause Mr. Stark is trying to get ahold of your mom and Jarvis is running some scans. And I was watching Morgan, so don’t worry about that-” gratitude flooded through Harley’s whole body. This stranger had taken care of her! He couldn’t remember anyone ever helping him with her. It was a fuzzy feeling in his heart that only added to the foggy confusion. 

What had happened?!

“-was a total angel, by the way. We watched Princess Bride and I’m  really sorry if you didn’t want her watching it! But the only other movies I watch are Star Wars and I thought that certain fight scenes were probably too much... and I don’t think she understood what was going on  that  much-”

“The ‘leven killed the six fingers man!”

“Okay. She understood the entire thing. She’s basically a genius. Like, possibly literally. Have you had her tested? Because I was _nowhere near_ as smart as her when I was a kid-sorry, that’s not important. Ned’s a big rambler. In my defence, Elli and Ezren are too young to understand TV so we just watch whatever and Morgan was saying her stomach hurt too-“

_Wait, what?_ Harley stiffened,  suddenly alert, looking down at the imp cuddled against his chest.  He was studying her and trying to figure out if those drooping eyelids meant illness or tiredness when the stranger’s words registered .

“-the poor thing was  really worried about you I thought a good distraction might-”

Distraction. 

And  suddenly everything clicked back into their terrible place.

This wasn’t a stranger. This was Peter.  The intern the Mechanic manipulated for his sick pleasures- and he left Morgan defenseless ! 

Oh dear God, what if-?!

“ Morgan,” he twisted her around, cupping her chubby cheeks in his palms. - _Please no, please, I’ll give anything-_ “ look at me,  _look at me_ , Baby!  Did he hurt you?”

“What? No, dude, I swear! I was  just trying to help-” Peter yelped in shock but Harley ignored him because  _ I’ll kill him .  If he touched one hair on your head I’ll kill him- _

“ Did he hurt you? Did Stark hurt you?!”

“What? He would never-!”

Tears swam in her innocent brown eyes. She shook like a leaf in the wind. He was scaring her. But for the first time in her life, he didn’t care.

“ _Morgan Saffron Keener!_ I swear to- ”

“No! He jus’ says the words I ain’t s’posed too an’ I jus’ watched Pwincess Buttscup!” 

Her tears spilled over, splashing onto her cheeks as she lunged at him, burying her face in his chest. Clinging to him as she cried. Harley’s arms  numbly wrapped around her. His head spun with a crushing relief so overwhelming he couldn’t even speak. 

_Oh thank you, God. Thank you-_ Even his thoughts were incoherent as he crushed her against him.

He hadn’t hurt her!

She was still the same sweet baby girl with that adorable gap-tooth grin.  Still the happy child who talked to flowers and made up silly stories and loved everyone everywhere she went . She was still perfect and innocent and -Her tears splashed onto his neck and his heart clenched.

The Mechanic would never touch her! 

He wouldn’t get the chance.

Harley was stealing the money and getting his baby sister out of here.

Now.

“I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled. You didn’t do anything wrong.” 

She gasped and shuddered against him, muttering  unintelligibly .

“What was that, darling?” He murmured back, not listening, but forcing his voice to be soft and gentle as his heart hammered against it’s cage. 

_ He was  really _ _doing this._

Another tear splashed onto him and purpose flooded his veins.

He was  really doing this.

Harley swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pressing Morgan more  securely against him and pushing to his feet .

“Whoa- whoa, what’re you doing?! You can’t get up! We’re still not sure what  really happened-”

Oh right. Peter. Because life loved to make every single thing Harley ever did  extremely complicated.  _Keep it together, Keener._

Harley started for glass door at the end of the room, but Peter launched himself in Harley’s path.

“No no no. Your supposed to be resting.  Wait, I’m supposed to call Mr. Stark if you wake up-” The intern reached for his pocket as terror tore through Harley’s entire being . 

“No! Don’t call him! You can’t call him!”  _No. No! He won’t get her too. He won’t-_

Peter froze, clutching a flip phone, his brows furrowing in confsuion.

“I have too, he’s worried sick-!” 

“You can’t!” - _Keep it together, Keener- keep it together. Peter’s not the enemy. He’s just_ _confused._ Harley took a breath, and forced his voice to be calm and level, despite the worry knotting in his stomach.

“I know you don’t understand because he’s twisted you too, but-” 

“Mr. Stark?” Peter cut him off, his face crinkling and his mouth falling open  incredulously . “Dude- I don’t have a clue what your talking about! Twisting me how? And why did you think he’d hurt Morgan? He’d never hurt anyone!” 

_He hurt you!_ Harley saw the sweet  innocent confusion on the poor kid’s face and something stabbed his heart. _He_ _doesn’t deserve this_!

But Harley would not let his sister endure the same broken fate. And time was running out!

“Never mind,”  _Keep it together, Keener!_ “Where’s the nearest computer?”

“Nearest com-? Um… mine, I guess? In my bed room?” 

Harley’s heart squeezed to a stop.

“You have a - _oh dear god_ …  keep it together Keener … Keep it together…”

“Harley? Are you alrig-”

_Focus on Morgan! Focus on Morgan! Focus-_ Harley tightened his arms around her, pressing her head against his chest. He was grateful she didn’t resist because she was the only thing grounding him to the planet. 

“I need to use your computer.”  Harley  barely even heard his own words, he  was lost in his head, trying to slow his racing heartbeat so he could actually process his muddy thoughts .  _Calm down. Calm down you fool._

Heavy silence replied. 

“Please.” He added  abruptly , glancing up at Peter-where had he been looking before? Where had he been?- who was  just staring at him with a confused smile.

“Sure. Let me take you to it.” He stepped to the side, gesturing that Harley head to the door.

Harley did. Somehow. His stupid shaking legs weren’t completely useless afterall.

“Your okay, you know. It’s safe here.” Peter continued, falling into step beside him.

_ He  really _ _believes it. He’s trying to help you_ ,  Harley’s brain supplied. But he only tightened his arms around his sister and stayed silent.

Because Peter  really believed it.

Peter led them down a long hall and up two separate elevators before he came to a simple white-washed door. He pushed it open, and Harley jumped back as the room leaped out at him. 

It was bigger than their whole house! A king bed sprawled in the center of the room, covered in a bright Ironman bedspread. The wall  was lined with a ginormous flatscreen. Hundreds of painted stars on the ceiling.  Nerdy shirts in haphazard piles on the floor- a room  entirely dedicated to keeping the Mechanic’s Intern Oblivious to the ugly truth .  Peter turned back to him, following Harley’s gaze around his room before grinning  sheapishly .

“Yeah. I could keep it cleaner… I’m usually pretty busy when I’m over here though, so-”  _Keep it together, Keener!_ Harley had to look away from the guy or he might crack. His eyes landed on a silver rectangle on the bed and he started for it. He eased  carefully onto the bed so he wouldn’t disrupt Morgan, who’s eyes were starting to droop. Then he twisted to the laptop and opened it up. It  was locked on a picture of that ugly green alien.

“Password?”

“MAY. All caps-” M. A. Y. It loaded. The vice-like claw clutching his heart eased for a moment and he stole a shallow breath.  _You can do this, Keener. Keep it together._

“-Listen, you can use my computer for as long as you need-” 

The bank page loaded. This kid had direct access to the Mechanic’s accounts?! It couldn’t  possibly be this easy- it couldn’t-!

“-but I  really have to call-” Peter’s rambling nonsense finally registered. Harley lurched upright, the vice around his heart clenching, cutting off his air. He whipped around. Peter froze, his eyes widening as they met Harley’s. 

“No! You can’t-!”

“Harley, it’s okay, calm down- it’s okay-!” Peter’s voice  was strained . He looked worried. And that was Harley’s que to calm down. He didn’t. 

“You don’t even know... Peter, this isn’t okay!”  _Why can’t you see that?_ “I know this job means a lot to your family but it’s not good-”

Harley slammed Mama’s pin into the box, adrenalin thrumming through his veins because  _If this doesn’t work..._

“Without this job my family couldn’t survive-!” 

“I know! I know, but you don’t have to do this. You deserve to be a child too-”

**Pin Accepted. Transaction Pending. Please do not Log Out until the transaction is complete.**

Harley blinked at the words in shock. It was working. It was working!  _I can save her!_

“I’m not a child! I’m at least your age!  Probably old-  _are you stealing Mr. Stark’s money?!_ ”  Peter’s incredulous yelp lanced into his brian, as a wonderful epiphany slammed into his heart .

_I can save him too._

Purpose lit in Harley’s heart and he twisted to Peter, the words tumbling out of his mouth faster than he could process them . 

“Look, you can leave too, okay? I’ll get some for you. And that Ned guy- you have to make sure he gets out too. _You don’t need to do this._ I know you’ve been desperate- I know I would be too, but you don’t have to be anymore! I’ll split this with you-” Harley stole a breath and glanced down. 

The words:  **Transaction complete** glowed up at him. 

His heart soared. 

_Yes! Yes- yesyesyesyes! She’s safe! She’s safe!_ Euhoria blazed through him, burning away his anxiety and loosing the vice. He could actually  breath!  The real,mouth-open-so-wide-you-end-up-yawning, your-chest-so-full-you-could-float-away kind of breath had hadn’t been able to breath since the night he found Mama’s body .

“Oh my-  _you stole Mr. Stark’s money!_ ” 

Harley’s heart sunk like a rock.

“Harley? My tummy-” Morgan was saying something but he shoved that realization away.  _ Sh’s  safe. She’s finally safe!  _ He finally had money to protect her!

Peter lurched to his feet, beginning to stalk in front of his bed like a caged tiger.

“Oh- this is bad…this is bad... this is so bad….” He began fisting his hair.

“He doesn’t need it!  It’s not gonna hurt him-” Something in Harley’s words pulled Peter from his muttering and he spun to face Harley, a  slightly crazed look in his horrified eyes .

“He’s so excited to have you here! He’s worried sick about you! And you’ve  just been conning him this whole time! After everything he’s done-!” 

Harley cracked.

“After everything he’s done to you how can you stick up for him?!” The words exploded out of him before he could stop them.

“After everything-?!  Mr. Stark’s done nothing to me! ” Peter yelped back  defensivly and Harley finally realized the bitter truth. Peter wasn’t going to believe him. He was too far under.

“Storm it, Parker! I can’t help you if you don’t want to  be helped ! Do you want the money or not?”

_Please say yes. Please, Peter, there’s enough. You can get out!_

But Peter recoiled as if Harley’d slapped him and Harley knew he couldn’t save him.

“It’s Mr. Stark’s!” He said, agauhst. 

Harley’s heart broke but he heaved himself to his feet. He’d tried. 

He had to do what was best for Morgan now.

“Not then. Fine. Good luck, man. I hope you get out okay.” Harley started for the door.

“So that’s  just it? Your  just taking off?” Anxiety locked around Harley’s heart as Peter slid into his path, holding up his hands to stop him. 

_No. No. I have the money. I’m so close-_

“Dude, wait, listen-” Peter continued reasonably “I get that money is tight sometimes, but you’ve gotta think about this... this’ll screw up your whole life! You’ll get caught-” 

Harley exploded.

“ You think I’d be doing this if I had any other choice?! ” 

Peter froze, something unreadable dawning in his eyes. Harley growled when he saw it and shouldered past the city boy. But Peter followed him out into the hall, grabbing his arm and yanking him to a stop. Harley spun toward him and he threw his hands up in surrender.

“No- no, Harley,wait! Listen to me for a sec, okay? Look, I know it doesn’t seem like it- but there’s always a choice. And if you make this one there are gonna be a lot of bad consequences. I mean, think of what this’ll do to your dad-“

Harley froze.  _What-?_ Peter forged  cluelessly ahead.

“Morgan told Ned that your mom died. I’m sorry, I know that hurts. I understand.”  Harley brain registered Peter’s words and his heart throbbed as bitterness settled  heavily in his veins . 

“No, you don’t.” Harley said  quietly .

Peter didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.

Nobody understood.

“No- I do! I know people say that all the time, but I  really ,  _really_ _do_. My Aunt May was the most amazing person in the world. And then she died and  suddenly me and Uncle Ben were drowning.” 

“I know you're drowning. You have to go to school and somehow function like everything is under control when it isn't.  You’ve got bills you can’t pay and Morgan needs someone to take care of her and fill the void and you feel like you don’t even have time to breath or cry _because if you do_ _everything will fall apart_ and I  know how you feel _because that’s exactly how I felt-_ ”

Harley exploded.

“Stop pretending you know how  I feel ! You’ll never understand how  I feel ! You had your Uncle! You had a safety net- _someone to catch you if you fell_ _-_ someone to hold you if you failed! I don’t have that! It’s  just me and Morgan-” the words caught in his throat. But it was too late. He’d spilled the secret he should have taken to his grave. 

He’d failed.

He’d been so close. He’d done it! And now he’d lost everything.

He fell. Crashed to his knees. He couldn’t bear the weight anymore. 

“ _-and_ _nothing is gonna save me when I screw this up_ _._ ” 

He’d failed.

The tears he’d never shown anyone stung his eyes. Spilled down his cheeks. Dripped onto her hair.

“ Mr. Trouble? I regret to interrupt but Morgan is showing signs of- ” 

She was in his arms but she was already gone. Because he’d failed her.

“You’re an- but we thought… your an orphan?” 

Everything was gone.

He continued  unthinkingly . Random words falling out of his lips as his whole world tore apart.

“-This was my only option- I didn’t get a redo. Or an Uncle. I didn’t have a Ned- _All I had was her._ And now I have nothing.” 

Numb washed through him. Sludged through his veins. Slowed through his brain. Frosted over his body until he was a frozen shell of nothing. He was drifting away-floating to the stars. But he didn’t fight it. There was nothing to keep him here anymore.

“But- I don’t understand- You don’t have to steal it!  Mr. Stark would help-” Those words were a splash of scalding water, thawing through the ice and dragging him back to the ground . 

“No!” He shouted, clenching her tighter.  _ No-No. Never!  He would protect her. Stark wasn’t touching her. He wasn’t touching her!  _

“I would rather lose her forever than let her become his sugar baby!”

“His  _what?!_ ” Peter squeaked.

“I dun’ feel so goo’...”

“Look man, it’s your life- and it’s sick and messed up but I can’t stop you-” 

Peter interrupted- squeaking  impossibly higher.

“You think I’m- that he- _that_ _we_ _-!?_ ” 

But Harley didn’t hear him.

“-but that’s  _not_ and option for me-” 

Morgan cut them off with a shrill scream before she collapsed against him.

“ _Morgan_! ” 

Harley’s world shattered.  _Morgan Morgan Morgan Moragn No, no, Baby please-_

_“Oh my g-!”_

“Morgan! Baby, _what’s wrong?!_ Morgan-!” He shook her shoulders but she only whimpered, her face furrowing in pain. Harley’s heart stopped beating. 

“What happened-?!” Peter was beside them, fingering at her neck for a pulse. Because Morgan was unconcious in his arms. Because he’d been blind to her pleas. Because he’d ignored her. Because he’d failed.

“She’s got a pulse! What do we do?!” 

“ I don’t know! I was  just \- _no! Stay with me, baby,_ stay with- oh Baby please-  what do I do? ” He snapped up to look at Peter, desperation thrumming through his veins. He didn’t know how to save her. He couldn’t do this alone. Peter had to know what to do because if he didn’t-

“I’m calling Mr. Stark-”

“No!” 

“We need his help!” Peter continued fumbling for his flip-phone. 

“ _Not him_ , no-” She was so still. 

What had he done?

“I have too! I don’t know where you came up with the idea that he’d- but Mr. Stark won’t hurt her, I promise.” 

“No- I’m right here baby Mouse, I’m here.” He looked up at Peter  helplessly . 

“Peter please!  _I don’t know what to do_ _...!_ ”

“Then let me call him! She needs help. Adult help.”

Every cell of sense screamed no.

But then Morgan whimpered again.

And he nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Things I know nothing about: banks.  
> I hope that didn’t take away from the story too much:) and yeah, I know it’s not the best well written, but i’ve Been really stuck on an original book I’ve been working on and I wanted something to just have fun with so I made this.  
>  I hope you all have a blessed day! Stay safe and have faith ❤️


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